MLB pitchers are so angry about new ‘hidden substances’ rule they keep taking their pants off in protest

There’s no crying in baseball — so MLB players are removing their pants instead.

The league-wide frustration began in early June, when Major League Baseball informed team owners the league would soon start enforcing specific rules to combat pitchers’ use of “foreign-substances.”

If you’re unsure what this means (we were too): The league is concerned that pitchers are using products — like pine tar and Spider Tack, anything sticky, really — to help control, and thus improve, how well they throw the ball. Per USA Today, MLB expressed their concern to players in a March 25 memo. Allegedly, these substances had become an “issue,” and the MLB would proceed to collect and examine baseballs to better understand the problem.

On June 21, new guidelines set in place to deter sticky substances went into effect, meaning MLB umpires must now inspect the gloves, caps and uniforms of every pitcher who enters the game. If found with a “foreign substance,” which are hard to define, as some people have been accused of using sunscreen which isn’t technically “foreign,” pitchers are immediately sentenced to a 10 game suspension.

Pitchers, growing tired of these robust examinations on their person, are displeased. And so they have started to disrobe on the field out of frustration.

On June 22, just one day after the new rules were enacted, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer faced two umpire checks in his first three innings pitched. When the opposing team’s manager requested a third check in the fourth inning, Scherzer became visibly frustrated and dramatically removed his hat — then began to unbuckle his pants — in an attempt to prove that he had nothing on him.

Per Insider, Scherzer shared his thoughts on the fiasco after the game.

”I would have to be an absolute fool to actually use something tonight when everybody’s antenna is so far high they’d look for anything,” he said. “I have absolutely zero on me. I have nothing on me. Check whatever you want. I’ll take off all my clothes if you want to see me.”

Sherzer wasn’t the only pitcher willing to remove his pants in protest. Oakland Athletics’ Sergio Romo also yanked off his hat and fully pulled down his pants when subjected to a search on June 22.

We sincerely hope MLB eases their new foreign substance guidelines, since we have a feeling pitchers’ pants will keep dropping if they don’t.